Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) diplomatic, (2) defence, and (3) other support, they will provide to the government of Guyana, following Venezuela's referendum proposing the illegal annexation of Guyana's Essequibo region.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela. We are clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. We continue to work with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.

Minister Rutley visited Guyana on 18 December. He met with President Ali, Foreign Secretary Todd, National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia, Defence Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett to show UK support for Guyana's territorial integrity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether The Equipment Plan 2023–2033, published on 4 December, includes comprehensive cost estimates for the Royal Marines' Future Commando modernisation programme.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Commando Force modernisation programme is delivering a transformational change to the UK's amphibious capability. The programme will be delivered in two investment increments, called OPERATE and FIGHT.

OPERATE will deliver a transformation of 3 Commando Brigade's operational capability on land. This element is fully funded with cost estimates being included in the Equipment Plan 2023-2033.

FIGHT will deliver the additional capabilities required to conduct ship-to-shore operations in a contested maritime environment. Estimates for this increment are not included in the Equipment Plan but will be considered within the 2025 Defence Review investment decisions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government why The Equipment Plan 2023–2033, published on 4 December, includes full predicted costs for the Royal Navy and RAF but not British Army capabilities required to deliver (1) the Integrated Review Refresh 2023, published in March, and (2) the Defence Command Paper: Defence's response to a more contested and volatile world, published in July.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Equipment Plan 2023-33 is based on data from the close of financial year 2022-23 and does not reflect the policy intent set out in the Defence Command Paper Refresh published this July. The department's operating model, where responsibility for managing the equipment plan is delegated to Top Level Budgets, allows them to have different financial positions and to be at different stages of addressing their financial pressures.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether The Equipment Plan 2023–2033, published on 4 December, includes full predicted costs for their proposed development and acquisition of new ground-launched, long range, precision-guided weapons; and if not, why.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The development and acquisition of new ground-launched, long range, precision-guided weapons are included in the Equipment Plan 2023-2033.

All Land Deep Fires Programme costs have been included except for Land precision strike, for which funding has not yet been committed.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Venezuela regarding the territorial integrity of Guyana.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government does not recognise the legitimacy of the Maduro regime. We are concerned by the recent steps taken by Venezuela. We are clear that the border was settled in 1899 through international arbitration. The Foreign Secretary has reassured President Ali of this. We continue to work with regional partners and international bodies to de-escalate tensions.

Minister Rutley visited Guyana on 18 December to show UK support for its territorial integrity. He met with President Ali, Foreign Secretary Todd, National Security Advisor Captain Gerry Gouveia, Defence Force Chief of Staff Brigadier Omar Khan and The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Dr Carla Barnett to show UK support for Guyana's territorial integrity.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the International Committee of the Red Cross concerning securing access to Israeli hostages being held in Gaza.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Since October 7, the UK government has been working with relevant partners across the region, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to help secure the release of hostages and better understand their status, including working to gain information on proof of life and access to medical professionals. As the Foreign Secretary has said, we need a humanitarian pause now to allow for the release of hostages.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much development assistance they have provided to South Africa over the past 10 years.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK's development assistance to South Africa promotes a strategic partnership with a focus on shared priorities including economic development, climate change, gender equality and strengthening health systems. South Africa still faces major development challenges - particularly around poverty, inequality and unemployment - and remains eligible to receive donor assistance. Since 2014 the UK has provided South Africa with £267,928,979 in development assistance as our relationship has evolved from one of aid to one of mutual co-operation and strategic partnerships.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the Office for National Statistics will conclude its review of the classification of universities in the National Accounts, first announced in January 2017.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Office for National Statistics is not responsible for making an assessment of the non-statistical impacts of classification decisions. Therefore, no such assessment has been made of other consequences.

The Lord Stevens of Birmingham

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

19 January 2024

Dear Lord Stevens of Birmingham,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will conclude its review of the classification of universities in the National Accounts, first announced in January 2017 (HL1604). And further to the classification review of universities announced by the ONS in January 2017, what assessment we have made of the (1) fiscal, and (2) other, consequences of universities being reclassified as public bodies as a result of that review (HL1606).

The ONS regularly reviews legislation and guidance relating to a number of institutions, including universities, to determine whether any changes would have a potential impact on their sector classification. As such, the classification review of universities in the UK, first announced on 31 January 2017 [1] will consider whether the substantial rise in tuition fees from 2012, and other changes in funding arrangements affect the classification of universities.

A further statement on the classification review of universities in the UK was released on 5 April 2018 [2]. This statement explained that the classification review had been paused because of the announcement of the review of post-18 education and funding, which raised the possibility that the cap for tuition fees may be altered. As this could affect the classification status of individual universities, the statement confirmed the classification review would recommence when there is more certainty in this area.

It was necessary to further postpone the classification review of universities in the UK due to new higher priority classification cases, such as support schemes initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently, the energy support schemes introduced in 2022 and 2023.

At present, the ONS plans to begin the classification review of universities in the UK from Quarter 2 (April – June) 2024. However, classification priorities can change quickly, and the expected dates of completion are only indicative. Our forward work plan 3 is updated each month to reflect changes in priorities. Table 1 shows the expected timetable for the classification review.

Table 1: Expected timetable for the classification review of universities [3]

Source: Forward Work Plan December 2023 (19 December 2023)

The ONS has not yet made an assessment of the fiscal consequences of universities being reclassified as public bodies. Within our forward work plan, for each of the four cases involved, we have provided an indication that the impact on fiscal aggregates could be small (less than £100 million change).

The ONS is not responsible for making an assessment of the non-statistical impacts of classification decisions. Therefore, no such assessment has been made of other consequences.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] Classification review of universities in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

[2] Further statement on the classification review of universities in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

[3] Economic statistics sector classification – Forward Work Plan dataset (XLSX, 128KB)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the classification review of universities announced by the Office for National Statistics in January 2017, what assessment they have made of the (1) fiscal, and (2) other, consequences of universities being reclassified as public bodies as a result of that review.

Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

The Office for National Statistics is not responsible for making an assessment of the non-statistical impacts of classification decisions. Therefore, no such assessment has been made of other consequences.

The Lord Stevens of Birmingham

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

19 January 2024

Dear Lord Stevens of Birmingham,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking when the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will conclude its review of the classification of universities in the National Accounts, first announced in January 2017 (HL1604). And further to the classification review of universities announced by the ONS in January 2017, what assessment we have made of the (1) fiscal, and (2) other, consequences of universities being reclassified as public bodies as a result of that review (HL1606).

The ONS regularly reviews legislation and guidance relating to a number of institutions, including universities, to determine whether any changes would have a potential impact on their sector classification. As such, the classification review of universities in the UK, first announced on 31 January 2017 [1] will consider whether the substantial rise in tuition fees from 2012, and other changes in funding arrangements affect the classification of universities.

A further statement on the classification review of universities in the UK was released on 5 April 2018 [2]. This statement explained that the classification review had been paused because of the announcement of the review of post-18 education and funding, which raised the possibility that the cap for tuition fees may be altered. As this could affect the classification status of individual universities, the statement confirmed the classification review would recommence when there is more certainty in this area.

It was necessary to further postpone the classification review of universities in the UK due to new higher priority classification cases, such as support schemes initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently, the energy support schemes introduced in 2022 and 2023.

At present, the ONS plans to begin the classification review of universities in the UK from Quarter 2 (April – June) 2024. However, classification priorities can change quickly, and the expected dates of completion are only indicative. Our forward work plan 3 is updated each month to reflect changes in priorities. Table 1 shows the expected timetable for the classification review.

Table 1: Expected timetable for the classification review of universities [3]

Source: Forward Work Plan December 2023 (19 December 2023)

The ONS has not yet made an assessment of the fiscal consequences of universities being reclassified as public bodies. Within our forward work plan, for each of the four cases involved, we have provided an indication that the impact on fiscal aggregates could be small (less than £100 million change).

The ONS is not responsible for making an assessment of the non-statistical impacts of classification decisions. Therefore, no such assessment has been made of other consequences.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] Classification review of universities in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

[2] Further statement on the classification review of universities in the UK - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)

[3] Economic statistics sector classification – Forward Work Plan dataset (XLSX, 128KB)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when before 1 April they will confirm whether NHS mental health funding will increase as a share of overall NHS expenditure in 2024/25, as required by section 3(2) of the Health and Care Act 2022.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Information on mental health funding within the National Health Service will be made available once NHS planning guidance is published.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Markham on 21 March (HLWS366), whether NHS England and integrated care board aggregate NHS mental health expenditure would still be expected to increase as a share of their total expenditure in 2024–25 compared with 2023–24 if "non-recurrent" expenditure is not excluded from the baseline calculation; and if not, whether they will itemise and quantify expected "non-recurrent" expenditure in both years.

Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the spend on mental health in 2024/25 and 2023/24, the total National Health Service mandate, and the spend on mental health as a percentage of the mandate:

Source: NHS England.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the Gambia concerning new legislation which would decriminalise female genital mutilation.

Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK Government, alongside our international partners, continues to have frank and open conversations with The Gambian Government, including the President and other Ministers, about the Bill to repeal the ban on FGM. On 19 March, the Foreign Secretary issued a tweet reinforcing the UK Government's position that FGM is harmful and should be illegal, and the Minister for Development and Africa spoke to the President about the repercussions of any vote in favour of FGM once again being permitted in The Gambia.